Heartland

markfiend wrote:Christ, I misread that as Roy Kinnear!

Me too! I mean there's time travel and then there's just insanity!

bangles wrote:My kids as well, really liked him & hey, isn't that what it's all about? Okay, not my kids specifically but y'know children? They don't give a f**k about plots or insane story arcs - they just want to be entertained & terrified in equal measure & I thought the current incarnation delivered that.

Very true! Scaring kids is the cardinal first rule of Doctor Who. Thing is, its popularity has so eclipsed even the Classic series that you have to acknowledge that a significant part of the fanbase is now well into adulthood.

That's where Moffat falls down - as they say up here, "So sharp he'll cut himself" Fans want complex story-arcs, but it's a fine line before you end up in late-series X-Files territory. Or the guff that is series finales for Doctor Who.

Rassilon help us for the Fiftieth Anniversary.

timsinister wrote:it's a fine line before you end up in late-series X-Files territory.

I think the X-Files is the definitive example of a series collapsing under the weight of its own story-arc.

markfiend wrote:

timsinister wrote:it's a fine line before you end up in late-series X-Files territory.

I think the X-Files is the definitive example of a series collapsing under the weight of its own story-arc.

great expression

i thought a similar thing about the matrix: the first film was a cool, sci-fi action flick with a vaguely orwellian pretext, with hints of a terminator-eqsue dystopian future.

it was enjoyable, special effects laden nonsense, and it worked in a self-contained, dont-think-too-hard-about-the-back-story kinda way

sadly, it was so successful the writers were forced to cobble together some more mumbo jumbo to flesh out the first film's nonsense, with each sequel become less comprehensible and more convoluted until by the end of 3rd (and thankfully) film, it had most definitely "done an oozalum bird"

Too bad they never made any sequels to The Matrix.

timsinister wrote:Thing is, its popularity has so eclipsed even the Classic series

That's debatable. For most of its run the original series had comparable ratings to the current one and during Tom Baker's time they were significantly higher. More people were watching so surely it was more popular. The difference now is marketing and the fact that everything is so in-yer-face with things like roadshows, stage shows, wall-to-wall publicity etc. There's not even that much more merchandising now. It's just better made.

timsinister wrote:.... you have to acknowledge that a significant part of the fanbase is now well into adulthood.

I think it was always that way. I grew up with Tom Baker's Doctor & I think the only reason I was initially exposed to it was because my dad was a fan.

Pista wrote:

timsinister wrote:.... you have to acknowledge that a significant part of the fanbase is now well into adulthood.

I think it was always that way. I grew up with Tom Baker's Doctor & I think the only reason I was initially exposed to it was because my dad was a fan.

Yeah, during the '70s producers discovered that the show had a big student and adult following and started catering for them with things like more serious themes (politics, prison reform, environmentalism), gothic horror parodies and Leela in a leather swimsuit.

I'm hearing Nigel Havers' name being banded about as the next Doctor

Personally, I'd like to see Lemmy in the role

I've kinda stopped caring. I hardly watched the last series, not because I disliked Matt Smith, but because of the writing. Especially the last companion and how it is she who is responsible for all the Doctor's near misses with regeneration/death (past, present and future) rather than the Doctor's intellect saving him by the skin of his teeth. It's pretty much destroyed The Doctor as from now on, he won't be saving himself, but some "guardian angel" floating around in his timeline like an unflushable turd.

I'm rooting for Chiwetel Ejiofor, but we'll soon know. I haven't watched it much with Matt Smith, found the storylines too silly, but I'm always hopeful.

peter capaldi! that was a nice surprise! I imagine that will put a lot more substance to the show for some people...

I can see this dude being a little like Chriss Ecc. Quite dark with a strange sense of humour.

Looking forward to it

Is this why?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22886910#asset

I'm sure all the Malcolm Tucker jokes have been done to death elsewhere, but I just can't help it...

"You're a cyberman? You're an eff star star c*nt!"

Wonderful choice. I think Peter Capaldi will be a magnificent Doctor.

Now all the programme needs is a new head writer, as soon as possible ...

and yet some people were moaning about "royal baby"

(yes i know 'royal baby' was thing for about a week, while this is only 1-2 days info, but i believe that you know what's my point)

markfiend wrote:I'm sure all the Malcolm Tucker jokes have been done to death elsewhere, but I just can't help it...

"You're a cyberman? You're an eff star star c*nt!"

Indeed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Blf073f2Lc

P.S. Language not work-safe...

And he directed "Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life"